The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Criminal Justice
BILL: SB 688
INTRODUCER: Senator Collins
SUBJECT: Canine Support Grant Program for First Responders
DATE: March 10, 2025
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Vaughan Stokes CJ
2. ACJ
3. FP
I. Summary:
SB 688 creates s. 943.701, F.S., the “Canine Heroes for First Responders Act” to create a canine
support grant program for first responders. The program is to be administered jointly by the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Division of State Fire Marshall within
the Department of Financial Services. The purpose of the program is to provide funding to law
enforcement agencies and first responder agencies for the procurement, training and maintenance
of support dogs, to enhance the mental health and wellness of personnel by providing support
dogs that help reduce stress and improve emotional well-being in high-stress work environments.
The bill provides that grants awarded under the program must be used for specific purposes and
the bill specifies the requirements for the support dogs, handlers, agency eligibility, the
application process and oversight measures.
There is not a specific appropriation in the bill and the impact is indeterminate at this time. See
Section V. Fiscal Impact Statement.
The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.
II. Present Situation:
Post-traumatic stress (PTSD) is prevalent among law enforcement officers. Significant
correlations have been found between years of service and traumatic events; traumatic events
and post-traumatic stress symptoms; and traumatic events and worldview/perception of others.
1
1
National Library of Medicine, Police Stress and Deleterious Outcomes: Efforts Towards Improving Police Mental Health,
available at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8575544/ (last visited March 6, 2025).
REVISED: BILL: SB 688 Page 2
Thirty-five percent of police officers have PTSD, compared to 6.8 percent of the general
population.
2
Utilizing support dogs to boost mental wellness and resiliency is a concept that was inspired by
the military for recovering service members for animal assisted therapy.
3
For almost two
decades, specially trained dogs have helped combat veterans cope with depression, anxiety and
PTSD.
4
Therapy dogs are also used in victim assistance programs, courts and medical settings
especially children’s hospitals. The St. Lucie County Fire District has three canines as part of a
behavioral health program to help firefighters and first responders after stressful situations.
5
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
The American Psychiatric Association provides diagnostic criteria for mental disorders,
including PTSD, in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition
(DSM-5). PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or
witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war,
combat, rape, or other violent personal assault.
A diagnosis of PTSD requires exposure to an upsetting traumatic event; however, exposure can
be indirect rather than first hand. Symptoms fall into the following four categories: intrusion,
avoidance, alterations in cognition and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity. In order to
diagnose a person with PTSD, symptoms must last for more than a month and must cause
significant distress or problems in the individual’s daily functioning. Many individuals develop
symptoms within three months of the trauma; but symptoms may appear later and often persist
for months and sometimes years. Further, PTSD often occurs with other related conditions, such
as depression, substance use, memory problems and other physical and mental health problems.
6
One study noted that the onset of PTSD symptoms is usually in the first month after the
traumatic event; however, in about 15 percent of the cases, there may be a delay of months or
years before symptoms appear. At least a third of the individuals who initially develop PTSD
remain symptomatic for three years or longer and are at risk of secondary problems such as
substance abuse.
7
2
Stella Mental Health, Police Trauma Syndrome-Mental Health of Law Enforcement, available at
https://stellamentalhealth.com/resources/10111/police-trauma-syndrome--mental-health-of-law-enforcement (last visited
March 6, 2025).
3
United States Department of Defense, Guidance on the Use of Service Dogs by Service Members 1300.27 available at
https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/130027p.pdf (last visited March 5, 2025).
4
Police 1, Healing paws: The rise of therapy dogs in law enforcement, available at https://www.police1.com/what-cops-
want/healing-paws-the-rise-of-therapy-dogs-in-law-enforcement (last visited March 5, 2025).
5
The Palm Beach Post, Three therapy dogs training to help first responders at St. Lucie County Fire District, Will Greenlee,
available at https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/st-lucie-county/2025/02/13/therapy-dogs-help-first-
responders-at-st-lucie-county-fire-district/78474843007/, (last visited March 5, 2025).
6
American Psychiatric Association, What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder? available at https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-
families/ptsd/what-is-ptsd (last visited March 5, 2025)
7
National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (UK), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: The Management of PTSD in
Adults and Children in Primary and Secondary Care, available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK56506/ (last
visited March 5, 2025). BILL: SB 688 Page 3
Emotional Support Animals
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an emotional
support animal is any animal that provides emotional support alleviating one or more symptoms
or effects of a person’s disability. Emotional support animals (ESA) provide companionship,
relieve loneliness, and sometimes help with depression, anxiety, and certain phobias, but do not
have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities.
8
Unlike a service
animal, an ESA is not trained to work or perform certain tasks, but provides emotional support
alleviating one or more symptoms or effects of a person’s disability.
9
The most common type of
ESA is a dog; however, other species of animals may be an ESA. ESAs provide therapeutic
support to relieve symptoms of psychiatric disabilities, including depression, anxiety, and post-
traumatic stress disorder.
10
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
The bill creates s. 943.701, F.S., the “Canine Heroes for First Responders Act” to create a canine
support grant program for first responders. The program is to be administered jointly by the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Division of State Fire Marshall within
the Department of Financial Services. The purpose of the program is to provide funding to law
enforcement agencies and first responder agencies for the procurement, training and maintenance
of support dogs, to enhance the mental health and wellness of personnel by providing support
dogs that help reduce stress and improve emotional well-being in high-stress work environments.
The grants awarded under this section must be used to do all of the following:
• Procure support dogs that meet the specific requirements.
• Train handlers and establish effective support dog teams.
• Maintain the health, well-being, and training of the support dogs.
• Develop and implement law enforcement agency policies and first responder agency policies
for the deployment and management of support dog teams.
• Support the establishment of training standards for handlers and support dog teams consistent
with established best practices, with up to 10 percent of the awarded funds allocated to
provide training on these standards.
A law enforcement agency or first responder agency applying for grants must meet eligibility
requirements as follows:
• Require all support dog teams to pass the American Kennel Club Urban Canine Good Citizen
Public Access Test or an equivalent standardized evaluation.
• Adopt and implement a policy indicating that support dogs are working animals specifically
designated for mental health and wellness purposes
• Designate a program coordinator to oversee the implementation and evaluation of the support
dog program.
8
ADA National Network, Service Animal or Emotional Support Animal: What’s the Difference?, available at
https://adata.org/service-animal-resource-hub/differences (last visited March 5, 2025).
9
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FEHO Notice: FHEO-2013-01, (available at
https://archives.hud.gov/news/2013/servanimals_ntcfheo2013-01.pdf (last visited March 5, 2025).
10
Brazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Right to Emotional Support Animals in “No Pet” Housing, available at
https://archives.hud.gov/news/2013/servanimals_ntcfheo2013-01.pdf,(last visited March 5, 2025). BILL: SB 688 Page 4
• Submit an annual report to the department and the State Fire Marshal detailing the use,
outcomes, and costs associated with the support dog program.
• Provide appropriate facilities and resources for the care and deployment of the support dogs.
• Develop training standards for handlers and support dog teams, consistent with established
best practices and in collaboration with the department and the State Fire Marshall.
A law enforcement agency or first responder agency applying for a grant must submit an
application that includes several key components. Applications should include a description of
the proposed support dog program including a justification of need for the support dog program
in the agency. Additionally, the application should include a budget for the use of grant funds, as
well as a detailed allocation of up to 10 percent for training initiatives. Agencies must include
policies and procedures for maintaining the health, welfare, and effectiveness of support dog
teams.
A support dog procured under the grant program must meet all of the following requirements:
• Be spayed or neutered.
• Be medically cleared for support work by a licensed veterinarian, including up-to-date
vaccinations.
• Exhibit a temperament conducive to support work, with no aggressive or overly protective
behaviors.
• Demonstrate aptitude for support work, including being friendly, approachable, and people
oriented.
• Meet height and weight standards outlined by the grant program, and measure between 20
and 30 inches at the withers, ensuring the dogs are large enough for easy interaction with
people but not so large as to present kenneling and transportation issues.
• Have never received any form of aggression training at any stage of their lives.
• Demonstrate social behavior and trainability to a high degree of obedience control, as
evidenced by having passed the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen test or by
having been trained to an equivalent level.
• Successfully complete an evaluation by a professional training organization.
• Be at least one year of age to ensure sufficient maturity for support work.
Support dog handlers must meet requirements as outlined in the bill including:
• Be a full-time employee of the law enforcement agency or first responder agency receiving
the grant.
• Complete certified handler training for working with support dogs, including public access
and emotional support protocols.
• Demonstrate the ability to manage and care for a support dog in the workplace.
• Pass a background check confirming suitability to work in mental health and wellness roles.
• Commit to ongoing training and annual certification as a support dog handler.
The FDLE and the State Fire Marshal will monitor grantee compliance through periodic reviews
and site visits. Additionally, grant recipients must submit an annual report detailing the outcomes
and effectiveness of the support dog program. This report should include metrics such as
employee satisfaction, reduction in stress levels, and participation rates of first responders.
BILL: SB 688 Page 5
The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
The bill does not appear to require cities and counties to expend funds or limit their
authority to raise revenue or receive state-shared revenues as specified by Article VII, s.
18, of the State Constitution.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
None.
C. Government Sector Impact:
There is not a specific appropriation in the bill and the impact is indeterminate at this
time.
11
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
11
FDLE Agency Bill Analysis, SB 688-Canine Support for First Responders (on file with Senate Criminal Justice
Committee) BILL: SB 688 Page 6
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
943.701 This bill creates the following sections of the Florida Statutes: 943.701, F.S
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
None.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.